A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany-Bay

MP3 Audio CD. Botany Bay in New South Wales was one of the first locations in Australia where Europeans settled on the newly discovered southern continent, as early as 1787. Watkin Tench was a member of the crew on one of the 11 First Fleet ships that arrived in that year in Botany Bay, in order to lay the foundation of Australia's first European penal colony. A detailed and fascinating contemporary account of the events here, A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay is one of the most important and genuine historical writings associated with this vital era in Australian history.

Tench was a crew member aboard the Charlotte ? an English merchant vessel that sailed from Portsmouth on May the 13th, 1787, to transport one of the first groups of convicts that were to be part of the new penal colony. The ship ran into trouble right from the start, when it was discovered that the third mate was left in England, and had to be replaced by a seaman from one of the accompanying vessels.

A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay follows the lengthy journey taken by the ship, its crew and their captives, toward their new establishment on the Australian continent. Among the captives were a total of 84 men and 24 women, including names that would later become quite famous, such as James Underwood, William and Mary Bryant, or Samuel Lightfoot.

Although Touch's account is somewhat limited by his position as a crew member, as well as narrowed because of his single perspective, his recounting of the expedition is extremely valuable from an historical standpoint.

The book includes not only the long and difficult six-month voyage aboard the Charlotte, but also an account of the initial days of settlement. Anyone interested in Australian history will be entirely thrilled to explore this outstanding and genuine account of an historic journey that has greatly contributed in the inception of Australia as a nation.